


Rule of Two

by AngstyDathomirians



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types
Genre: Bane is nice to Zannah, But he's still a jerk, Crack, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Gen, It's really not that bad, Kid Fic, Rated teen just to be safe, Sith daddy and Sith daughter, Sith master and apprentice, The violence isn't that bad, it actually turned into something really sad, kinda sweet kinda disturbing relationship, like call your dentist to fill a cavity sap, overprotective Sith daddy, this got away from me somewhere, what do you expect they're Sith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-19
Updated: 2016-11-21
Packaged: 2018-08-31 23:23:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 2,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8597857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngstyDathomirians/pseuds/AngstyDathomirians
Summary: I recently read Drew Karpyshyn's Darth Bane trilogy and fell in love with itA series of one-shots in which Bane is nice to kid!Zannah. Who doesn't love the occasional Sith family fluff? They are basically the Star Wars version of Gru and Edith





	1. Working

“What’cha doing?” Zannah inquired as she climbed into Bane’s broad lap, her favorite place in the whole camp.

The Sith Lord scowled. “Working. Go away.”

She pretended not to hear him. “I can help.”

“I doubt that. Are you finished your studying?”

“ _Yes_. I wanna stay with you.”

“Fine. Just don’t get in my way.”

“You don’t have to be so grumpy. I can tell you like me.”

“Believe what you wish.”

“So I read today that Sith Lords draw their power through hate and pain. Why are you so nice to me?”

Bane smirked thinly at the child’s audacity. “It is a test. You know you must one day kill me and take my place, carry on our Order. Will you be strong enough to kill me without hating me?”

Zannah looked up at the giant man adoringly and snuggled deeper into his lap. “I won’t let you down, Master.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda sweet but kinda disturbing right? "I love you so much I'm gonna kill you."  
> Just AU fluff though


	2. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Referencing the drexl battle, because I love the drexl battle. Zannah has a nightmare

Darth Bane was deep in sleep, exhausted from his battle against the drexls, when he heard the door to his utilitarian quarters creak open. Instantly awake, he cast out his senses with the force. No danger. A soft, catlike tread. Zannah. 

The tiny girl stood at the foot of the bed, her gray eyes wide and shining with unshed tears. Her lower lip quivered. 

The Sith Lord sighed inwardly. He knew what was coming. “Did you have a nightmare, Zannah?”

Her blond curls shook as she bobbed her head slowly up and down. “Can I stay with you tonight?”

“No.”

“Why not?!”

“Fear is not becoming of a Sith. I will not be here forever to protect you, Zannah. You know you must one day kill me. Conquer your fears now. Go back to your room and destroy whatever is troubling you.”

Zannah knew better than to argue with her master. Biting her lip, she padded wordlessly out of the chamber and back to her own. 

***  
It was almost an hour later when she returned, running, her small, bare feet slapping triumphantly against the cold stone floor. Confidence and exhilaration boiled into the force. 

“I did what you said, Master! I am no longer afraid!”

Bane, who had only been lightly dozing, turned to face her. “Well done. Would you be content to stay alone now?”

“I can do it, Master!”

“Good. Now you may join me,” he murmured. 

She beamed at this unexpected reward, delighted. She was too small to simply climb on to the bed, so she reached up her thin arms. He leaned down and took her lightly by the waist, hoisting her tiny frame up beside him. His calloused hands were surprisingly gentle for a man so large. She snuggled contentedly against his chest and was asleep in minutes.


	3. Lightsaber

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zannah is reminded of her duty as a Sith

Even after two years at his side, Zannah still loved watching Bane fight. 

Her Master moved with a blinding speed and fluid grace that belied his massive form, the red lightsaber flickering like a thing alive. It delighted his apprentice, but it also frightened her – she realized how much Bane was holding back when they sparred, how powerful he truly was. Seeing him with all his power exposed was like watching a storm – ruthless, terrifying, and utterly unstoppable. And it was Zannah’s duty to one day best him in combat. 

It was times like these she doubted she could ever do it.


	4. Worthy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Bane and Zannah went to Apatros for some reason? (some reason other than me just wanting to write this)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They go to Apatros, and that butthole Gerd is still there. He wants the claim to Bane's old home. Bane doesn't care that much, but he doesn't like to share. Reputation, you know?
> 
> Gerd takes Zannah in an attempt to convince him, but Bane's not putting up with any of this blackmailing crap

Zannah struggled in her captor’s grip, but he was too strong, and she was too dizzy and afraid to call on the force properly. Gerd pulled out a vibroblade and pressed it to her throat, drawing a single drop of blood.

“What’s it going to be, Bane?” Gerd panted, grinning nastily. “My claim, or the girl’s life?” 

Bane stared the miner coldly. “Threatening her will not help you. If she is too weak to save herself, she is not worth my time.” He turned away indifferently.

The young apprentice could feel Gerd’s confusion; he had not expected such impassivity. Anger pulsed through Zannah, not at Bane, but at herself and Gerd. Because of the miner, she had failed her master. Bane was right; if she was careless enough to need rescuing, she wasn’t worthy of being a Sith. 

Zannah’s rage blinded her to all else, even her own fear. Furious, she focused the dark side into a flame. Gerd screamed as if he had been burned and dropped her. Before he could do anything else, Zannah broke his neck with the force. 

Bane faced her again, and she ran to him. He picked her up, and she threw her arms around his neck, breathing shakily. One of his large hands gently stroked her blond curls. “Are you all right?” 

She nodded breathlessly. “Master – were you…lying?”

“No. But I knew you would be strong enough.”

His praise made Zannah glow. The fact that he had been willing to let her die for a land dispute did not bother her – she would have deserved it. But he thought she was strong. He had faith in her. And that was all that mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, he could have gotten her out on his own, but where's the learning experience in that?
> 
> More kinda disturbing fluff. Sith are messed up, but they're fun


	5. Rage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zannah really ticks Bane off. Orbalisks do not lead to constructive parenting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe she asked to leave Ambria and look for her cousins or something? He would certainly view that as a betrayal

The red haze clouded Bane’s vision as the blind rage of the orbalisks consumed him. Reason was lost to him; all he knew was that Zannah had betrayed him. Furious, he lashed out wildly. Zannah fell back with a sharp, startled gasp of pain. Shocked, she could only stare mutely up at her master – he had never struck her before! 

Shame snapped him out of it. “Zannah, are you all right?!”

On the verge of tears, she embraced him tightly, burying her face in his broad chest. 

He could barely respond. How could he have hurt Zannah like that? The orbalisks could have made him kill her – two years of training completely wasted. But it was more than that…he was a hard, stern teacher, but he had never considered himself cruel or abusive. He had inflicted pain on her before, but that had been necessary, to teach a lesson. This was nothing more than him pointlessly venting his anger at a helpless target…just like his father used to do to him. Was he becoming what he most despised? 

It was an uncomfortable rest of the afternoon, for both of them. She did not try to speak to him about leaving Ambria again, and he tried to ignore the raw welt on her cheek.


	6. Rebellion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zannah has a taste of rebellion

"Where were you last night?"

16-year-old Zannah could feel Bane's gaze burning holes in her. His soft voice might have fooled anyone else, but Zannah could see the golden touch of the dark side in his normally dark brown eyes. Bane was furious.

The apprentice huffed impatiently. "I was with Kel. Does it matter?"

"It does if you don't tell me."

"He's an idiot; I'm just using him for information on Serenno."

"I understand that; just be sure you don't grow too confident. Never underestimate anybody. One mistake, one wrong word, could mean the end of our Order."

"I _know_. I won't give anything away. I'll get rid of him once I get what we need."

"Fine. Just let me know next time you decide to go out."

" _Yes_ , Master," she growled. She stalked off, her small body tight with barely restrained anger.

Bane sniffed. He knew his apprentice wasn't being totally honest with him. She enjoyed her time with Kel. He supposed it was only natural that a young girl be attracted to the carefree, confident, and admittedly good-looking Twi'lek, but Bane didn't have to like it. He didn't want her becoming too attached; Zannah belonged to him - to the Sith. 

If this rebellion went on, Bane might have to get the information out of Kel himself. 


	7. Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Jedi find the two surviving Sith. The apprentice comes face to face with the prospect of carrying on the Sith Order alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taken from the Battle of Tython from the second book in the trilogy, because I love that scene

Time seemed to slow down. Zannah could see everything in stark, horrible detail, but her body was frozen, sluggish, unable to move fast enough. 

The Jedi Bane had just mortally wounded released his power in one final, dying act. Right before the Sith Master unleashed the barrage of lightning to finish off his opponent, the Jedi trapped him in a shimmering cage of the light side. In the blink of an eye, Bane found himself caught in the heart of his own terrible, destructive power. 

Pain unlike anything Zannah had ever felt before swamped her through their bond. She screamed with him in agony; her bones were on fire, her innards were scorching, her flesh was melting off as the dark side coursed unabated through them. And yet she knew her torture was only a fraction of what her master must be feeling. 

Finally, mercifully, it was over. There was a horrible, blank emptiness in the force where Zannah usually felt the familiar presence of her master. Fear consumed her, pushing even the residual pain to the back of her mind. Everything she had ever held against him washed away in a torrent of panic. A small part of her rebuked herself for her fear, but the larger part screamed that she needed Bane, that he couldn’t possibly be dead, that if he was gone she had no reason to live – 

A flicker. Faint, but tangible. Somehow, miraculously, he was still alive, clinging tenaciously to his ruined body. Before Zannah had time to marvel at the incredible power and will of Bane, there was something she needed to do. 

The surviving Jedi seemed frozen in the shock of what they had just witnessed. Her pale face twisted with hatred, her gray eyes flushed radioactive yellow with the dark side, Zannah cut them all down like animals.  
***

Bane lived that day, thanks to Zannah's ministrations, but he was never the same. He was still the Sith Master; he could still lick anybody in a fight, still command the dark side with a terrible degree of intensity, but a fraction of the brute strength he once possessed had been whittled away. He was a hair slower, a tad weaker. A tremor would sometimes seize the damaged muscles of his left hand, beyond his control. 

To him, it was a minor nuisance, a challenge to be overcome.

To his apprentice, it was terrifying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "a fraction of the brute strength he once possessed had been whittled away." - verbatim from the book. Not mine.


	8. Doubt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zannah begins to doubt her duty as a Sith

Bane and Zannah were meditating on the rocky shores of Lake Natth. All was tranquil; the desert sky was cloudless blue, the water lapped quietly against the bank, stirred by a cool, dry wind. It was a peaceful scene; Bane had to be careful not to get lulled into a false sense of security.

_Peace is a lie_ , he reminded himself. _There is only passion_.

It wasn't too hard to remember that when Zannah kept fidgeting beside him. The girl shifted and sighed constantly, every now and then glancing at her statuesque master. Finally, as if she couldn't stand it any longer, she spoke.

"Master?"

Bane did not move or open his eyes. "Yes?"

"May I be honest with you?"

"That would be beneficial for both of us, yes."

"I do not wish to kill you," she confessed.

Now Bane stirred, opening his dark brown eyes. His voice was carefully neutral. "That is dangerous thinking, Zannah."

"I know. I was hoping you could help me resolve these feelings."

"Let me ask you something. What is it you desire most in life?"

Zannah thought for a moment, then replied, "To be the Sith Master. To leave my legacy in the galaxy. I wish to break my chains."

Bane nodded approvingly. "That is good. I am nothing but an obstacle in your way, stopping you from achieving your destiny."

There was a spark of resentment in the girl's gaze. "You must have known I would become attached to you."

"I suspected as much. If you cannot find a way to come to terms with this, I will be forced to find a new apprentice." His voice softened. "That would be...undesirable. For both of us. I have every faith in you. Not many can be Sith, Zannah. It is a hard life. I wish to test your resolve: how far are you willing to go to seize your place as Master?"

"As far as it takes." The air seemed to shimmer with the potential for her power. Then her face brightened. "If I kill you, it means your legacy will be carried on through the Rule of Two. Every Sith after us will know your name. You will be immortalized."

There was a tinge of pride in Bane's voice. "That is a possibility, yes."

"So...it's really for the best that I take your place. We both get what we want."

"If that is how you wish to see things."

She settled back contentedly. "Thank you, Master." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In actuality, she wouldn't care about killing him and he wouldn't accept her reasoning - she must kill him out of ambition and desire for power. 
> 
> Sith are messed up
> 
> But hey, it's fluffy fiction, I can do what I want


	9. Realizations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bane realizes the ramifications of the Rule of Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> worried Sith daddy
> 
> only one more chapter to go guys

Darth Bane watched his apprentice training, his dark brown eyes hooded and critical.

Zannah's small, lithe body flowed gracefully through the lightsaber forms, her speed incredible, her technique flawless. Her blonde hair was tied back, revealing her pale, sharp face, creased with concentration. Her gray eyes flashed acid yellow as she augmented her blade with the force.

Somewhat suddenly, Bane realized he was no longer sure who would win a confrontation between them. The thought brought with it a mixture of pride and apprehension; he had trained her well, but was she really ready to carry on the mantle of the Sith by herself?

Zannah had intelligence, ambition, patience, hatred; all the tools she would need to train an apprentice of her own. Bane was sure she would challenge him for the title of Master soon. He recognized, somewhat regretfully, that she was no longer a little girl, though he often still thought of her that way. She was a woman now, and an incredibly powerful and dangerous one at that. He faced the prospect of his own death without fear; an individual may die, but the Sith would go on. Zannah would carry on his legacy. 

So why couldn't he shake this vague feeling of unease? 

Their time together was drawing to a close, and Bane could only hope Zannah would be alright without him. 


	10. Legacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sith Order goes on
> 
> One Master falls, and another rises to take his place.

They fought without hatred, without fear. 

They fought with regret.

An individual may die, but the Sith will go on. There is no room in the dark side for anything else. 

And he's trying his hardest to kill her, for if she cannot withstand all his power she is unworthy of his title, the Sith must have a worthy master, but all he can see is a little girl with curly blonde hair and tear-filled gray eyes.

And she's trying her hardest to kill him, for she has surpassed him, she must claim her birthright, but all she can see is the man that protected her from drexls, who would let her climb into his bed at night if she was frightened. 

And finally, too soon, not soon enough, he falls. Not by her lightsaber, for that would be too quick, too easy. She unleashes her secret weapon, her Sith sorcery, and invades his mind. She drags out his worst fears and nightmares and turns them against him. In the end, it is his own strength that claims him, for how could it be any other way?

She kneels beside him, takes his hands, sees her tears reflected in his feverish brown eyes. 

He gasps, "And as the darkness takes me, I am nothing..."

"Not to me," she whispers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic ended up being way more depressing and dark than I intended it to be. Oh well. 
> 
> Bane's last words are technically Malak's. I just thought it was appropriate. I do not claim to own them.
> 
> Bane and Zannah forever. Read the books


End file.
